Herman Gref

Herman Oskarovich Gref (born February 8, 1964) is a Russian statesman and top manager. He was the Minister of Economics and Trade of Russia from May 2000 to September 2007. He currently is the CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of the largest Russian bank Sberbank.

Gref was first appointed as Minister of the newly formed Ministry of Economic Development and Trade on May 18, 2000 and was reappointed to the position in the succeeding Cabinet in 2004.

Herman Gref was a major advocate of Russia’s joining the World Trade Organisation.[4][5] He is also responsible for creation of the Stabilisation Fund. He was considered as one of the liberal reformers in Vladimir Putin's administration of the early and mid-2000s, besides Alexey Kudrin.

Herman Gref is member of boards and supervisory boards of a number of companies, including Yandex.

The economic crisis and the threat of losing jobs didn't much affect the employees of state-owned companies banks: although the salareis didn't increase, mass layoffs have been avoided. Many members of the management didn't even notice the devaluation of the ruble.